Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-01-13
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent.)
WASHINGTON, D. G., Jan. 3, 1881

WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. 3, 1887.
The great annual levee at the White
House last Saturday passed off pleas
antly to both hosts and guests. Legis-
lators and officials, judiciary and diplO-
mates, soldiers and sailors, veterans and
civilians, old age and youth, wealth and
poverty, fame and obscurity, aristocra-
cy and democracy, came, as usual, to
pay respect and express good wishes to
the Chief Magistrate.
Without the Mansion the scene was
bleak and slushy and cold, although the
weather predictions had done all in
their power to make it bright. But
within everything was cheerful enough.
All the State apartments were thrown
open and weresablaze with gas jets, and
blooming with flowers. One thousand
trees and pots of plants had been
brought from the conservatory for dec
grafton.
AS the President was just recovering
from another rheumatic attack which
had kept him prisoner for more than
week, it was thought he would not be
able to endure the whole ordeal of the
three hours of handshaking, but would
be compelled to retire from fatigue be-
fore the reception was over. His condi-
ton was the cause of much solicitude
on the part of Mrs. Cleveland and the
Cabinet officers, who wanted him to re-
main seated during the intervals be-
tween the reception of the various
bodies. He would not yield to their
wishes, however, but stood up to his
task bravely until the last, though he
was very tired.
After the officials had passed through,
the public was received, and visitors
then came in, from actual count, at the
rate of 800 to every ten minutes. The
throng soon became dense inside the
Mansion. The Blue Room, in which
the receiving party stood, became suf-
focatingly warm and the perspiration
rolled from the Presidents face in
streams. The corridors were choked
with people, and before the police
could induce them to move into the
East Room, some ladies tainted.
This was the first time since 1881
when Presidents wife has appeared
at New Years reception in the White
House, and the first in thirty years
since Democratic Presidents wife
has presided there, 1857 being the last
year that President and Mrs. Pierce
were at the Executive Mansion. Con-
sequently the pleasure expressed at
having so young lady as Mrs. Cleve-
land there is not a matter of surprise.
One member of the Corps Diploma
tique tells story about another en-
thusiastic diplomat who was so de-
lighted with Mrs. Cleveland, that, after
shaking hands with her, he testified
his admiration by kissing the inside of
his own hand which had touched hers.
The elderly Senator from Vermont,
Mr.. Morrill,, who is, of course, a Repub-
lican, expresses his approval of Mrs.
Cleveland in the following characteristic
way. Said he: "While there is diff
ference of opinion as to those holding
some of the places the President has
filled by appointment, the vacancy he
had chosen to fill by the selection of a
lady to preside at the White House is
acceptable to every one."
When this was repeated to the Presi-
dent he said cordially, 81 am glad he
did not try to thwart me in that"
"You did not ask the advice and con-
sent of the Senate in that matter" sug-
gested lady present. mo, indeed,
didn't" calculated Mr.. Cleveland, as if
NClN IlldlnluI lllbU GIlO SOllSGltuOlOl vi
the United States did not make it
obligatory. ......
Congress will convene again to.mor-
row. Since it adjourned for the holi-
days, General Logan's death has made
the Illinois Senatorship subject of in
teresting speculation. 1t is regarded as
matter of considerable political inn
portance, for the reason that whoever
receives the complimentary vote Of the
Democratic members of the Illinois
Legislature, will naturally become a
conspicuous figure of his party two
years hence, in case the Democrats
should then control the Legislature.
1t is too early to say what effect the
death of General Logan will have upon
his party, but the opinion is freely eX-
pressed here that the Republican or
ganizatiOn of Illinois will be seriously
broken by the loss of it's trusted leader,
so much so as to render the capture of
the State by the Democrats, at the next
election, more than probable. BY that
time it will be more than thirty years
since an Illinois Democrat was elected
to the United States Senate and the
scramble for the place, with the slight
est chances of success, would be unpre-
cedented.